


Cursum Perficio

by VideoGameImagines



Series: Language Barrier [4]
Category: Uncharted
Genre: F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-26
Updated: 2016-03-26
Packaged: 2018-05-29 05:33:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6361474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VideoGameImagines/pseuds/VideoGameImagines
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt Request: the last installment of my Language Barrier series. Yeah so this is it! I went back and forth on how I wanted to end this little mini-series but I hope you all enjoy this finale.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Cursum Perficio

**Author's Note:**

> Cursum Perficio  
> AN: Hey Everyone, I’m back with the last installment of my Language Barrier series. Yeah so this is it! I went back and forth on how I wanted to end this little mini-series but I hope you all enjoy this finale. (Thank you to everyone who gave their input and the awesome Anon that originally gave me this prompt) Honestly, thank you to everyone who read this series and encouraged and supported me to keep writing this; I was so happy to hear that everyone loved the story enough to want it to continue. This finale will have an alternate ending that I will post only if it’s requested (So if this isn’t how you wanted the story to end… let me know.) Also it’s irrelevant but I was listening to really sad music to get in the mood to write this story so if you want to get a feel for my musical inspiration give these songs a listen (Oblivion by Bastille, Echo by Jason Walker, I Would Die for You by Matt Walters, I Will Follow You Into the Dark by Gavin Mikhail, Ashes by Andy Brown, What If You by Joshua Radin, All I Want by Kodaline, and Shattered by Trading Yesterday). It’s not important but I love music and it’s always a huge inspiration when I’m writing; so I thought I’d share. Anyway as always I hope I did the prompt justice and I hope everyone enjoys it. Warning: This is the big finish and it may be slightly graphic at some points so I’m going to go ahead and give a fair warning. Disclaimer: I do not own the Uncharted series. (Cursum Perficio= My Journey is Over)

Jackson looked as though he had been through hell but even in his current state he found it in himself to burst in and wave a gun around. For the moment his ire was currently directed at the High Priest, who looked displeased to say the least. Jackson looked annoyed at everyone’s silence, “Are you all deaf or simply stupid? I asked you where the artifact is being held.”  
The High Priest finally spoke up, “What is it exactly that makes you think I will willingly give you the artifact?”  
The High Priest was speaking in your native tongue so Jackson clearly couldn’t understand him. He stormed over to your uncle pointing his gun directly at him but you quickly stepped in front of your uncle. Without hesitation Jackson pulled back his arm and slapped you across the face with his gun; hard enough to send you plummeting to the floor. Drake was by your side in an instant gently rubbing your burning and swollen cheek. When he turned to Jackson his voice was dripping with venom, “Jackson! I swear to God if you touch her again I will kill you!”  
Jackson simply walked around the two of you and ushered your uncle forward with the barrel of his gun. He looked at Drake as he passed you, “I would like to see you make the attempt, Nathan.” Drake cautiously helped you to your feet as you wiped the blood away from your split lip; you aimed a murderous glare in Jackson’s direction as you were pulled to your feet. Jackson dragged your uncle toward the High Priest, he aimed the gun at your uncle’s head and spoke, “It seems that you have been playing interpreter for these two. Now, be a good sport and tell me what he’s saying.”  
Your uncle hesitantly translated the High Priest’s words, “He said, ‘What is it exactly that makes you think I willing give you the artifact?”  
Jackson looked between your uncle and the High Priest, “If you be so kind, translate for me, tell him that he will give me what I want or I will kill him. I know all too well that he can still be mortally wounded. His God may have given him everlasting life but his life force will only withstand natural causes of death. Just like his people out there he can easily be brought to his knees by our weapons.”  
The High Priest climbed down from the pedestal where he was standing and spat at Jackson’s feet, “I do not fear death at your hands. I have lived for centuries and when death finally calls for me then I will welcome it like an old friend.”  
Jackson gave a wicked and malicious grin before firing two shots toward the High Priest; one shot pierced his shoulder and the other embedded itself in his thigh. He fell to the ground with a cry; Jackson strode over to his crumpled form and pressed a heavy-booted foot into his wounded thigh. Jackson gave another evil grin as the High Priest let out an agonized groan, “I find pain is sometimes the best motivator for those who are particularly strong-willed. Now tell me what you know or the next shot will be aimed at your heart.”  
The High Priest grimaced and with the help of your uncle pulled himself to his feet, “Fine… please take me over to that shrine.” Your uncle did as he was asked and the High Priest maneuvered a small statue out of the way revealing a lever. A small portion of the stone floor began retracting, revealing a narrow staircase, the High Priest vaguely motioned to it, “It’s down this way.”  
Jackson forced the four of you to continue down the staircase as he followed along; handgun gently prodding you as you went. You descended into an absolutely astounding catacomb filled with incredibly detailed statues and across the way a large pitfall with several large platforms stretched about fifty feet. At the end of the platforms was a large tomb and a small fountain of water, your breath caught in your throat as the High Priest, “The artifact lies at the end of the platform just beyond Inti’s final resting place. You must take the golden bowl and fill it with water from the fountain and drink from the bowl. Before you force anyone to make the journey for you… you must be the one to make this pilgrimage yourself.”  
Jackson turned to Drake with his gun drawn, “Come along Drake after you…”  
Drake gave him an incredulous look, “You just heard him say that you need to do it yourself.”  
Jackson let out a throaty chuckle, “I never said that I wasn’t going to make the journey but I do need leverage. I need to be sure that your little friends don’t try to turn around and stab me in the back. So come on, Drake, time is wasting.”  
Drake gave your shoulder a firm squeeze as he passed you and approached the edge of the first platform; the two men rather agilely leapt onto the first platform. When they were far enough away the High Priest turned to you and spoke lowly, “When they return it is imperative that you take your friend and return to the surface. I will take care of that vile man but you must leave this place and never look back. When I give the signal you need to run.”  
You were surprised by the sudden declaration, “What do you plan to do? How will I know that you’ve given the signal?”  
He paid you little mind, “Do not worry about what I plan to do. Worry about getting out of the city limits in time. And you will know my signal when I give it.”  
It was shortly after that last thought that both Drake and Jackson returned; Jackson was carrying a solid gold bowl and wearing a triumphant smile. He turned to the High Priest, “I did as you said, when will this divine essence take effect?”  
The High Priest limped over toward Jackson, standing directly in front of him, “It should take no more than a few moments…”  
As if on cue Jackson dropped the bowl with a loud clang and staggered forward in a fit of painful coughs that racked his form. The High Priest reached out and caught him, when Jackson looked up he had blood pouring from his mouth, “What have you done to me?”  
The High Priest dryly chuckled, “Did you truly believe that I would so readily offer you something so powerful? You insult my intelligence if you thought for one moment that I would not take precautions to ensure that this power did not fall into misguided hands. What you drank was not the essence of Inti but it will sap your own life force from you in moments. You are not the first to seek this power but you will be the last; I would sooner see my people buried under ash and rubble than let you wield this power.” In a flash the High Priest pulled a knife from his robes and sharply twisted it into Jackson’s stomach; the very foundation of the catacombs began to quake and large pieces of rubble fell from the ceiling.   
You understood this to be the cue that the priest spoke of so you quickly turned on your heel and ran for the narrow staircase; pulling Drake and your uncle along with you. They both followed you without needing further instruction and in your mad dash toward the surface you left Jackson and the High Priest behind. The three of you took the stairs three at a time and quickly resurfaced just outside of the secluded temple. You skidded to a halt in front of the water’s edge and remembered the staircase you saw to the left before entering the temple. You made a beeline for the staircase and both Drake and your uncle followed your lead.  
It was utter chaos as you made it to the main level that housed Paititi’s homes and infrastructures; there was an unmistakable din of falling rubble and the panic expressed by the Sapa Inca. The three of you continued winding through the narrow village streets but your progress was halted by a large chuck of debris that fell directly in front of you. You narrowly avoided being crushed because Drake grabbed your hand and quickly pulled you back. He looked around wildly before grabbing your hand once more, “Quick we can cut through here!”  
You nimbly cut through the village and made it to the next staircase however any further progress was made impossible by a large piece of stone that blocked your path. Drake quickly surveyed the obstruction and called out, “Help me push this out of the way.”  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
You and your uncle stood beside Drake and began pushing the boulder with as much force as you could muster. It took a minute but together the three of you were able to move the obstacle but the sound of angry voice caught your attention. Jackson was standing a few feet in front of you with blood dripping from his mouth and abdomen, “Drake! Stop right there… if I’m not making it out of here then neither are you!”  
Before you really had time to register what was happening, Jackson held up a shaking hand and fired off a single shot, it barely grazed Drake’s shoulder. You made a move to help him but a harsh clap signaling another bullet, was all you heard as a second ripped through the left side of your stomach. You staggered back and clasped the wound tightly before staggering backwards; Drake caught you with a sharp cry, “No! Y/N hold on…”  
Jackson raised his gun again but before it could fire, a volley of arrows pierced Jackson’s entire body. The last thing you saw, before you collapsed, was the sight of Jackson falling forward and a small group of Sapa Inca with their bows drawn. Drake gingerly picked you up and cradled you to his chest, “Please, Y/N, we’re almost there… just hold on a little longer and we can get you help. You’re going to be okay; I promise.”  
With a newfound speed Drake carried you back to the surface just as the ancient temple collapsed. He placed you gingerly on the rainforest floor before off a piece of his shirt in order to staunch the blood flow. He frantically applied pressure to your wound but it was too severe of an injury, he let out a strangled cry, “Oh my god… Y/N I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have taken you down there.”  
You shook your head timidly and smiled, “No, don’t say that… I’m glad to have been able to share this adventure with you. But my time is limited…”  
When your uncle translated that, through his own tears, Drake shook his head as his eyes began to water, “No don’t say that! You’re going to be okay and once you’ve healed we’re going to leave Peru and see the world. Remember? You told me you wanted to come with me so you need to keep your promise. Please… there’s so much we haven’t done and seen together. Just be strong.”  
You gave him a watery smile, and you reached up and wiped a tear from his eye, “More than anything I wish I could but my journey is over and it was made better by having met you. Please promise me you won’t be sad once I’m gone. Your journey has only just begun and you have so much to look forward too.”  
Drake bit his lip as more tears began to fall, “No please don’t talk like that… Come on Y/N your journey isn’t over… not yet. We’re going to get through this and I’m going to learn to speak Quechua ; so I can tell you everything I’ve wanted to say to you. And then maybe you’ll learn English so I can hear your voice every day for the rest of our lives.”  
The pain was starting to dull and your eyes were growing heavy, “There’s so much I wish I could have said to you but know that I’ll always be there. Just remember to keep me in your thoughts now and then.”  
The last thing you saw were tears steadily falling down Drake’s face as he pressed a kiss to the crown of your head. You slipped away peacefully with the knowledge that your life was well lived.


	2. Cursum Ineo (Alternate Ending for Cursum Perficio)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Hello everyone! As promised here is a small alternate ending that I wrote for Cursum Perficio; the final installment in my Language Barrier mini-series. This features a happier ending so I hope you enjoy it. You’ll see a series of dashes in the previous piece, rather than reposting the entire story with a new ending, the dashes will be the cue for where the new ending will take place. I called this piece Cursum Ineo, which is Latin for ‘My Journey Begins’ in contrast Cursum Perficio is Latin for ‘My Journey is Over’.

You and your uncle stood beside Drake and began pushing the boulder with as much force as you could muster. It took a minute but together the three of you were able to move the obstacle but the sound of angry voice caught your attention. Jackson was standing a few feet in front of you with blood dripping from his mouth and abdomen, “Drake! Stop right there… if I’m not making it out of here then neither are you!”  
You saw Jackson raise the gun and after that instinct took over because the gun was trained on Drake but you quickly pushed him down. Jackson fired off two successive shots, the first of which missed and ricocheted of the wall. However, the second bullet tore through your arm viscously and knocked you to the floor. Your uncle and Drake both immediately knelled down and came to your aid. Jackson raised his gun again but before it could fire, a volley of arrows pierced Jackson’s entire body. You looked up and saw Jackson falling to the floor and several Sapa Inca on top of the buildings in front of you, lowering their bows as Jackson fell.  
Drake helped you to your feet and you all managed to run up the remaining steps with just enough time to escape the crumbling temple and city. Never before had you been so happy to see the familiar rainforest floor; you took a moment to rest and assess your wound. It was bleeding so it might need to be disinfected and bandaged properly. But Drake came over and did his best to help you treat your wound even tearing off a piece of his shirt to dress your wound.  
You looked up at him, “Thank you, Drake.”  
Drake just smiled, “It’s the least I could do; you saved my life back there.  
You stood up and began the arduous journey back to your village; you were desperately hoping that your village hadn’t been attacked while you were gone. Drake and your uncle stood on either side of you, but Drake looked nervous, “Hey Y/N? Did you mean what you said about wanting to see the world? Would you ever consider traveling with me?”  
Once what Drake said was translated you didn’t even need to considerate it, “Yes I meant every word… I want to see the world with you." As the three of you continued walking back to your village; your uncle pulled you off to the side and whispered in your ear, “Now I must teach you how to speak English and teach Drake to speak Quechua.” Your face turned bright red while your uncle chuckled loudly; obviously pleased with himself.  
\-------------------------------------------------------A year and a half later----------------------------------------------------  
You had a map spread upon a boulder trying to figure out where the hell you were but suddenly you felt a pair of strong arms encircle you and felt someone rest their head on top of yours. You knew exactly who it was, so you placed your own arms on top of his, “Nate, how lost are we?  
He scoffed, “We’re not lost we’re just taking a detour and relaxing for a bit….”  
You laughed, “Drake I’ve been traveling with you for just over a year; admit it we’re lost…”  
Drake pulled you into a hug, “Kuyaki, Y/N.” You giggled, he was making great strides in Quechua and you were making great progress in learning English.  
You grabbed Nate by the collar of his shirt and pulled him into a kiss, which he happily reciprocated, “I love you, too.”  
You heard a disgusted groan from Sully, “The two of you realize that I’m still standing right here, right?” Drake gave Sully a nonchalant wave of his hand, attempting to ignore his presence.


End file.
